Combination of screed with handles and manipulating means therefor



Aug. 4, 1959 i E D. ALl-:sslo

COMBINATION OlF SCREED WITH HANDLES AND MANIPULATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed June 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2

IN VEN TOR. ERNESTO D.

ALESSIO Bmw@ / ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1959 E. D. ALESSIO COMBINATION OF SCREED WITH HANDLES-AND MANIPULATING MEANS THEREF'OR Filed June 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ERNESTO D. ALESSIO ATTORNEY United States Patent O COlVIBINATION OF SCREED WITH HANDLES AND MANIPULATING MEANS THEREFOR Ernest D. Alessio, Akron, Ghio Application .lune 6, 1957, Serial No. 663,951

4 Claims. (Cl. 94-45) This invention relates to a straightedge with handles to be used for leveling concrete and manipulating means therefor.

It is customary, in leveling concrete, for a workman to operate the screed while on his knees. He leans over the work and presses the screed down by leaning on it. The screed of this invention is designed with upright handles which extend from the screed to about the level of the workmans hands so that he can apply downward pressure on the handles while in a standing position. The manipulating means includes a ybelt to be worn by the workman so that by swaying his body from side to side he can move the screed from side to side as it levels olf the top of the concrete.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the lower portion of a workman using the Iscreed with handles and manipulating means;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing a side view of the connection between the belt and the screed.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a workman operating the screed; and illustrates the zig-zag movement of the screed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of the handles and screed.

Experience has shown that that edge of a straight edge which contacts concrete aggregate should be formed of wood, not metal. Therefore, the straight edge 1 is preferably formed of a hard wood. The frame of the screed includes the upper cross member 2, the side members 3 and the vertical members 4 of which also are preferably formed of wood and aluminum plates 5 which cover their front and rear faces.

The uprights 8 of the handles are of metal, preferably aluminum. These are braced Iby aluminum braces 9. These `handles are preferably mounted in cushions mounted in the screed. The drawings show the tubular base of each handle enclosed in a rubber tube 10. The top of the rubber tube fits in a hole in the top of the screed. The bottom of each handle rests on a rubber block 12 which is held in place lby wooden blocking 19. The handles are held down by the tension springs 15 which extend from eyes 16 (attached to collars 17) to eyes 18 0n the screed. At the top, the handles are formed with horizontal portions 20 which extend toward the workman.

Freshly poured concrete is not usually leveled by moving the screed in a straight forward movement along the tops of the retaining forms, but by moving it from side to side with a zig-zag motion, as it is pulled toward the workman. To accomplish this, a belt 25 is worn by the workman, and chains 26 extend from the belt to eyes 27 in the aluminum plate which covers that face of the screed which is nearest the Workman. As the Workman pulls the screed toward him and applies downward pressure to the handles, he sways from side to side, and this draws the screed first to one side and then the other, as it is pulled forward. Supplementary chains 29 are fastened to eyes 30 which are nearer the ends of the frame than are the eyes 27. These assist in directing the pull, as the workman sways from side to side.

Figures 1-3 show the workman pressing down on the handles to cause the bottom edge of the straight edge 1 to slide along the top of the forms 35 which confine the freshly poured concrete. Between these forms 35 is the Irock mat 36 over which the concrete 38 is spread.

The workman pulls the screed forward progressively as additional increments of concrete are dumped between the forms. This is illustrated in Figure 3. Successive increments of concrete are illustrated in dotted lines and each increment is idcntied by the reference numeral 38. The operator sways his body from side to side as he moves backwardly, drawing the screed 50 toward him, while pressing down on the handles. As he sways from side to side, pulling the screed, rst to one side, and then to the other, the concrete is levelled off. The zig-zag motion is illustrated in Figure 3 by the different positions of the screed 50.

The drawings are illustrative. The construction of the screed handles and manipulating means may be varied. The handles are preferably mounted as shown, but different constructions are possible. The belt may be connected to the frame by different means, and at diiferent places. Instead of the chains extending to the frame of the screed, they may be extended to the handles. Thus various modifications ofthe specic equipment shown and described may be made without avoiding the claims which follow:

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a screed with spaced handles attached thereto and means for manipulating the screed which comprises a belt and means for connecting the belt with the assembly of the screed and handles, the belt 'being adapted to be worn by a Workman and being connected to said assembly at points substantially equidistant from the longitudinal midpoint thereof permitting the screed to be moved from side to side as the workman sways his body, the screed comprising a frame with a straight edge across the bottom thereof, and the handles extending upwardly from the screed at positions substantially equidistant from the midpoint of the straight edge to about the height of said workmans hands while standing upright by which handles pressure can be applied to the straight edge.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the means connecting the belt with the assembly of the screed and handles are chains.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the handles are resiliently mounted in the frame.

4. The process of leveling freshly poured concrete by a substantially upright workman wearing a belt connected with opposite ends of a straight edge means for leveling the concrete and the workman holding handles connected to and reaching upwardly from said means to the level of his hands while thus upright, which process includes the workmans applying downward pressure on the handles while pulling the straight edge toward him and swaying from side to side so as to impart a zig-zag forward motion to the straight edge means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

